Improvement in low-water indicators



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R. A. FILKINS, OF NORTH ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIM- SELF AND W. B. WERDEN, OF WA'UKEGAN, ILLINOIS.

Letters Patent No. 71,729, dated December 3, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOW-WATER INDICATORS.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, R, A. FILKINS, of North Adams, crlishire county, Massachusetts, have invented a new and improved Water-Indicator for Steam-Boilers; and I do hereby deel-.1re that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled' in the art to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a vertical central section of my invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the same, the plane, of section being indicated by the line :i: ai, fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. i

This invention relates to a device by which the height ofthe water in a steam-boiler can he instantly ascertained without the use of faucets or taps, and which, when the water in the boiler descends below a certain line, will blow an-alarmwhistle, and notify the attendants of the fact. i i

A represents an upright cylinder, which is connected with a steam-boiler by means of two pipes, a Siphon, a, near its bottom for conducting water, and a. pipepb, near its top for conducting steam from thc boiler into the cylinder A. A pipe, c, connects the low-er part of the cylinder A with an upright glass tube, B, which Vis heldhetween two metal caps, d d. The lower vcap d is screwed upon an elbow on the pipe c, and thc upper cap d is screwed to the lower end of an upright tube, C, which is connected with the upper part of the cylinder A by a. pipe, e, as is' clearly shown in fig. 1. From the sides of the tube O, and from those ofthe upright portion of the pipe c, project three or more short bars, ff and g g, respectively; and the cndsot the bars j' are connected with those of the bars g by upright rods, D D. The latter form a protection for the glass tube, and serve to sustain the pipe Gland its appendages. The glasstube B is surrounded by another glass tube, E, the ends of which are held between the caps cZ d. The object of the tube E is to prevent the cold air from striking the outside of the tube B while the hot water is on the insideof the same. The water in the boiler enters the cylinder A through the siphon a, and risesy in the cylinder to the'same height at which it stands in thc boiler. As the cylinder A is connected by the pipe c with the glass tube B, the water will also rise in the latter; and its exact height may thus be at once ascertained by the aid of a graduated scale or other suitable index, which may be marked on the tube B. The upper portion of the tube C is expanded, so as to be similar to a hollow wall. From the lat-ter projects an arm, h, to the upper end of which the centre of a horizontal lever, F, is pivoted, one end of which is directly in the continuation of the axis of the cylinder A, while its other end, if continued, would pass through the axis of the pipe O or tube B. The latter end is bifurcated, and holds tho bell, fr', of a steam-whistle, and also, by means of a stem, r, in the bell, the valve, j, of the same, as is clearly shown in iig. 1. The valve j closes the cup-shaped upper end and opening k of the tube C. The opposite end of the har F is pivoted to the upper end of a rod, Z, which passes through the 'centre of the upper head of the cylinder A, and which is guided in a packing-box, m, of suitable length for steadying the movements of the said rod Z. From the lower end of the rod Z is suspended, by means of a chain, n, a oat, Gr,`which is to swim on the water in the cylinder. A spiral spring, o, between a cap, p,'on top of cylinder and a sliding shoulder on the bar Z, keeps the rod Z up, und thereby the valve closed, us long as the weight Gr is afloat.

As soon as the water. in the cylinder A falls so deep that the weight will no more be supported by it, the latter will pull the rod-Z down, and with it that end of the lever F which is above the cylinder The vnlvej will therebybc raised, and the steam which was held in the ballportionpf the tube C escapes through the opening in the cup k. It will then strike the lower edge of the bell z', and `will thereby whistle and sound the alarm, and notify the attendants that the boiler ought to be reilled. y

The spring o should bestrong enough to keep the whistle closed while the weight G is ailoat.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. /The tube E, in combination with the tube B, whereby the cold airis prevented from striking the tube B while hot water is in the latter, substantially as describcd'forthe purpose specified.

2. The lever F, pivoted to the arm h of the globe C, sliding rod Z, to which the iloat G is secured by the chain n, packing-tube m, and spring o, all arranged and operating as herein set forth, for the purpose spcciiicd.

R. A. .FILKINS Witnesses:

WM. McNAMARA, ALEX. F. ROBERTS.' 

